Work supporting attachment for shearing machines



Oct. 15, 1957 5.1.. MILLER 2,809,696

WORK SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR SHEARING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Jan. 31, 1955 Patented ct..15, 1957 kmh WORK SUFFR'ENG ATTACNT FRSEEAEUNG MACS Edward L. Miller, Belleville, Ill.

Application January 31, 1955, Serial No. 485,149

2 Claims. (Ci. 164-59) The present invention relates generally tosupporting devices, and more particularly to an accessorial set ofauxiliary supports for attachment toa conventional shearing machine forinitial added support and guidance of a workpiece and -subsequentautomatic release of a shearedolf segment of the original workpiece.

Briefly, the present invention contemplates an improved arrangement forsupporting and guiding flexible sheet material in conventional shearingmachines. Customarily, such machines include a table surface with astationary shearing blade adjacent one edge thereof, and have a movablepower driven blade for shearing cooperation with the stationary blade.The workpiece, a relatively thin `sheet of metal, for example,ordinarily rests upon the table with the portion to be cut off extended,without support, beyond the shearing blade. As soon as it is cut olf,the overhanging segment drops to the floor.

Generally, the shearing machine is provided with an adjustable stop ormeasuring gauge which the advancing edge of the work iece engages inmeasuring the portion to be cut olf. If the overhanging portion is ofsuch size as to extend more than la relatively few inches, however, ittends to bend downward due to its own weight and thus increases thedifficulty of making accurate measurernent.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide novelsupporting means for sheet metal stock, a measured portion of which isto be sheared olf and removed from the machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel set ofattachments for a conventional shearing machine, which attachments areadapted for support of sheet metal stock during a measuring and shearingoperation.

It is another object of the invention to provide novel means for guidingand supporting the leading edge and both sides of a workpiece so as tomaintain the same substantially level during a measuring and shearingoperation.

lt is another object of the invention to provide novel means for guidingand supporting Sheet metal stock preparatory to a shearing operation,said guiding and supporting means being adapted for release of theshearedo segment.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages will be apparentfrom the following description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation taken along a vertical plane extendinglongitudinally through a conventional shearing machine and showing stocksupporting elements constructed and arranged in accordance with theteachings of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally alongthe line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally alongthe line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a removed laterally adjustable support;

Figure 6 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 7 7of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line S-Sof Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of 'a removed bracket element,portions being broken away to reveal details thereof in section; and

Figure l0 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, taken generallyalong the line lll- 10 of Figure 9.

As previously indicated, the present invention contemplates structurewhich is accessorial with respect to conventional shearing machines.Hence, Figures l through 4 of the drawings are illustrative of theenvironment in which the invention has its primary use, while Figures 5through l0 illustrate specific structural details of the invention. Thereference numeral 20 indicates a shearing machine of generallyconventional configuration and arrangement.

The machine 29 comprises a table 22 extending laterally between 4spacedside frames, only one of the latter, designated 24, being Shown in thedrawings. A transversely extending shearing blade Z6 is mounted alongone edge of the table 22 and is rigidly supported by a girder 2S whichjoins the table along this same edge. A deflector plate Si? is mountedon the girder 2? yso as to extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom,as clearly illustrated in Figures l and 2. Preferably, the table 22 hasa forwardly extending arm 32 comprising an elongated supporting rest 34having its upper surface coextensive with the planar upper surface ofthe table 22, and having a squaring rail 36 disposed at right angleswith the shearing blade 26 and extending substantially from the blade 26to the end of the supporting rest 34. A suitable support 33 is providedat the free end of the assembly 32.

A power-driven operating mechanism, shown generally as 46 in Figure l,is disposed between and supported by the side frames of the machine Z0.The mechanism 4t) includes a movable ram 42 having a shearing blade 44flxed at its lower edge for cooperation with the shearing blade 26aforementioned. A hold-down assembly 46 comprising a cross member 48provided with a series of resiliently mounted press bars 59 havingresilient shoes 52 is disposed forwardly of the ram 42 in a positionwhere it may be moved downwardly :so as to effect a clamping action upona sheet of metal which rests upon the table 22.

Th mechanism includes also well known actuating means designatedgenerally by the numeral 54 and actuatable to eifeet an operating cyclewhich includes a preliminary downward movement of the hold-down assembly46 followed by a shearing reciprocation of the ram lil and, finally, alifting of the hold-down assembly 46.

A backstop S6 having a vertical flange 58 extends laterally between theside frames of the machine 2i) and is adjustably mounted on a suitablecarriage assembly 6i) for movement towards and away from the fixedshearing blade 26. Thus disposed, the backstop 56 is adapted to serve asa measuring gauge for a sheet metal workpiece, such as indicated at W inFigures l through 4. The workpiece W, resting upon the table 22, isadvanced so as to extend rearwardly beyond the cutting blade 26 untilthe leading edge of the workpiece abuts the vertical flange 53.

Reiterating, it is to be understood that the machine 20 as described upto this point is wholly conventional and, hence, forms no part of thepresent invention, per se. What the invention teaches, and what isdeemed to represent an advance in the shearing machine art is thecombination with a shearing machine, such as 20, of auxiliary supportingdevices now to be described.

Each of the Figures l through 4 depicts a fixed side support 62 havingthe form of a simple angle member. The

3. support 62 is shown secured to the side frame 24 so as to dispose ahorizontal ilange 64 with its upper surface substantially in the sameplane as the upper surface of the table 22. Although the securement ofthe support 62 to the side frame 24 is illustrated as being by welding,it will be' understood that securement may take anyY conventional form,suchV as using nuts and boltsfC clamps,

Referring now particularly to Figures 2 and 4, it will be noted that thehorizontally disposed Yflange 64 of the support 62 has a lateral widthvsuch as to extend inwardly beyond the inside edge of the squaring rail36. While it is essential that the flange 64 extend laterally beyond therail 36 as illustrated, it is nevertheless preferred that the extensionbe specifically limited for a reason to appear. Typically, the ange 6,4will extend approximately onehalf inch inwardly of the rail 36, althoughit is to be understood that this is not a required dimension.l

An adjustable center support 66v is illustrated in Fig-V ures l and 2 asbeing removably secured to the vertical flange 5S of the backstop 56.This support 66 is also illustrated in Figures 5 through l0, wherein itwill be noted that the support 66 includes a bracket assembly 68 and aguidemember 76 which is adjustable with respect to the bracket assembly68.

The bracket assembly 68 is preferably constructed from sheet metal tothe form clearly illustrated in Figures 9 and l0. As here shown, anelongated piece of sheet metal has adjacent sides bent downwardly toform depending anges 72 and 74. The adjoining edges of these flanges 72and 74 are welded together and a gusset 76 is welded ad-V jacent thefree end of the flange 74 and to the horizontal portion of the member7); This makes a structurally rigid bracket which, when its end flange'74 is s ecured to an appropriate rigid member, provides a rigidcantilever support.

The illustrated means for thus securing the bracket assembly 68 to themachine 29 takes the form of a pair of ordinary C clamps 78. The clamps78 may be welded to the iiange 74 as illustrated in Figure V8. Y

The guide member 76 also takes the form of an elongated :angular memberand has its horizontal ange bent downwardly so as to form a short ramp3G. An elongated slot 82 is provided in the depending ange of the member79 Vand receives the Shanks of twoV machine screws 83 welded to the ange72 of the bracket 68 as clearly` shown in Figures 9 and l0. Wing nutsSi; are provided for Vthe screws S2 and serve to clamp the guide member70 in selected position relative to the bracket assembly 68.

The supports 62 and 65 together constitute a set of attachments whichmay be mounted on a machine in a manner to provide improved performanceof the latter in its intended service. The normal operation of themachine 2@ involves placing a workpiece, such as the sheet metal piecedesignated W in Figures 1 and 2, upon the table 22 and the squaring arm3:2 with the side edgeV ofV the workpiece ush against the squaring railL36. The forward end of the workpiece is then advanced beyond the fixedshearing blade 26 until it abuts the measuring stop S6. As previouslymentioned, this measuring stop S6 is conventionally adjustable relativeto the blade 26. The

mechanism 54 is then actuated to instigate the holdingV and shearingaction previously described, and the portion of the workpiece W whichextends from the blade 26 to the Abackstop S6 is sheared -oif and dropsdown onto the deector plate 39, being thereby shunted Vto an appropriatereceiving bin, or the like. Thus, it may be seen-that ejection of thesheared-'off piece is automatic and the workpiece may be again advancedso as to present another portion to be sheared off.

It is obvious that when the machine 2? is operated in the mannerdescribed, and particularly when the backstop 56 is adjusted'to aposition which is relatively remote fromV the lblade 2.6, the extendedportion of the workpiece W willtend to bend downwardly and thus providean inaccurate measurement due to the arcuate conformation. As a matterof fact, it is not unusual for the end of the workpiece to miss thedepending ilange 58 of the backstop 56, which requires that this leadingedge be manually lifted to obtain even a nominal measurement of theportion to be sheared off. It is the purpose of the present invention toovercome this undesirable condition, and, at the same time, to retainforthe machine 20 all of its inherent operational characteristics.

As previously mentioned, the support 62 is secured to the side frame 24at such a level that the advancing workpiece W will overlap and restupon its horizontal flange 64. The support 66, besides being adjustableas to length, is also positionally adjustable along the backstop 56. Thesupport 66 is therefore disposed at a point along the backstop 56 wherethe workpiece W will overlap and rest upon the horizontal ilange of themember 70. Preferably, however, this overlap is, as in the case of thesupportY 62, relativelyV small. This limited overlap is illustrated inFigure 2, and it may again be mentioned that an overlap of approximatelyone-half inch on both the support 62 and the support 66 would betypical.

Whereas the support62 may occupy a fixed position with its forward endjust behind the reciprocable ram 40, the fact that the support 66 ismounted upon the movable backstop 56 requires corresponding adjustmentin the total length of the support 66. This adjustment is obtained bymovement of the member 70 relative to the member 68, the adjustmentbeing maintained by the screws 82 and wing nuts 84.

With the supports 62 and 66 in the positions illustrated in Figures lthrough 4, the workpiece W is supported at its side edges and, hence,may be advanced without deection until its forward edge abuts thebackstop 56'as illustrated in vFigure 3. Thus, anV accurate measurementis obtained. When the forward portion Yof the workpiece W has been cuton" Vby operation of the ram 40, the weight of the'sheared-ot portion,along with the inherent ilexibility of the sheet metal'itself, issu'icient to cause the central portion of the piece to settle'downwardly`until the side edges are slipped olf the supports 62 and 66. The

piece is then deected by the member 3i) to a desired loca.l tion and theworkpiece W may once more be advanced in preparation for anothershearing operation. Despite the addition of the supports 62 and 66, thefeature of automatic ejection of the sheared-off portions of theworkpiece W is retained.

Clearly, there has been described a set of Ywork supporting attachmentsfor a shearing machine which fulfills the objects and advantages soughttherefor. t

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings have been given only by way of illustration andexample. It isto be further understood that changes in the form of theapparatus, rearrangement of elements, orthe substitution of equivalentelements, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention, which islimited only by the claims which follow. Y

What is claimed is: Y 3 Y l. For use with a shearing machine comprisinga table provided with shearing means adjacent one edge, a'pair ofparallel side frames extending perpendicularly beyond.

said shearing means, and .gauging means extending laterally between saidside frames, fa .set of auxiliaryrsupports attached to said shearingmachine .so as -to provide sup-V port and Vguidance for a workpiecevextended beyond :said

table, said set comprising a side support in the 'form of Y 2. A set ofwork supporting attachments for a shearing machine having transverselyextending shearing means, a longitudinal side member perpendicular tothe shearing means, and a transverse cross member parallel to theshearing means, said set including a side support attached to the sidemember between the shearing means and the cross member, and a centersupport attached to the cross member and extending toward the shearingmeans, said side support comprising an enlongated member providing a xedhorizontal ledge extending laterally inwardly from the side member, saidcenter support comprising an elongated bracket having an elongatedmember adjustably disposed thereon and providing a xed horizontal ledgein laterally spaced parallel relation to said side support, and meansiXedly retaining said adjustably disposed elongated member in a selectedlongitudinal position on said bracket.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MartinIan. 9, Downie July 27, Seft Nov. 6, Pickett Apr. 16, Williams July 15,Weirich Apr. 20,

FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland May l,

